Taunka Folk Tale
As told by Naweche. High in the Storm Peaks dwelt a tribe of Taunka. Their village, nestled in the rock and ice of the mountain, was battered by the furious elements, and bred the finest hunters of all the tribes. Their Chief, a proud man who valued strength above all things, and had long since mastered the hunt and the hardy, native animals of the region. But there was one thing he could not defeat, no matter how he tried. The Men of Earth were stronger than he, and he could never best them in combat. His repeated failure against them burnt within him, and he sought some way to defeat them. It was then he learned that the Men of Earth tended a Garden, a Garden created by the gods, the Great Spirits, firstborn children of the Earthmother, who had shaped the mountains and sealed the Old Ones in the bowels of the earth. He sought to steal from their garden, to defeat them that way. And so, he announced to the hunters of his tribe a trial, to journey to the Garden and bring back the flowers that grew there. In reward to the successful hunter, he would give the hand of his daughter in marriage, and name him Chief after his days were come to an end. Now, the Chief's daughter was fair and beautiful, and loved by all except her father, who saw only her lack of strength and not her beauty or intelligence. She, in turn, loved a young hunter who had failed his rites, for he could not tame any animal more ferocious than a snow hare! The young hunter stood among his brethren as his Chief announced the trial, and realised that this way, he could win the Chief's favour and his daughter's hand. But, although he was not a great hunter, he was cunning. He knew of his Chief's failings against the Men of Earth, and so let the other hunters go out first. One by one, the other hunters of the village set out, and returned battered and empty-handed. From each, the young hunter learnt a little more about the Men of Earth. When the last of the village's hunters came back bruised and beaten, the young hunter approached the Chief and asked to take up the trial. The Chief laughed, thinking the young hunter was in jest, but as he realised he was in earnest, he agreed. For, he thought, what chance did the young whelp have of succeeding where my greatest men have failed? So, the young hunter set out with his companion, the snow hare. He trekked across the frozen landscape until he came to the plain where the Garden lay. Now, he knew the movements of the Men of Earth from the other hunters, and waited for a time when he knew they would be absent, tending to other duties. Sneaking into the Garden, he took the choicest blooms he could find, and left as quietly as he had come. No sooner had he left, however, when he heard a shout of anger! The Men of Earth had already discovered the theft, and were on the trail of the young hunter. Thinking quickly, the young hunter followed the trail of the last hunter from the village, to prevent laying fresh tracks for the Men of Earth to follow. But still they persued him. So, he hid himself in the shrubs and began to pluck petals and leaves from one of the flowers, twining them into the hare's fur. When he heard the Men of Earth approach, he let loose the hare, which ran across their path, scattering petals as it went. The Men of Earth laughed and said: "It's naught but a rabbit we've been chasing!" They turned and left, returning to their Garden. The young hunter waited until they had gone and came out from his cover, retrieving his hare and making the way back to his village with his prize. He ran to the Chief's dwelling and presented him with the flowers. The Chief was struck dumb, he had never expected the young hunter to succeed. But, being a proud man, and one that kept true to his word, he conceded to let his daughter marry the young hunter, and named him Chief after his days were ended. Category:Stories